Hello, Friends! It’s time for a brand new challenge on the Frilly and Funkie Blog. I’m the hostess for this round, and the theme is “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” I’ve prepared a really fun Graphic 45 Imagine Dimensional Hot Air Balloon Embellishment Tutorial for you today. The balloon is the focal point on my altered Tim Holtz Mini Clipboard. You’re going to have so much fun with this post! We’ll look at the details in a moment, but first, let’s look at the challenge guidelines.

Challenge Theme: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Summer is a great time to travel. For this challenge, create a vintage or shabby chic travel themed project. Think folded maps, cruise ships, road signs, compasses, passports, trains, planes or automobiles. As long as your project features a travel theme, you’re headed in the right direction.

Folks, I hope you are not tired of seeing me create with this Graphic 45 Imagine Collection. I keep thinking of new ways to use it. This time, I’ve used it to alter a Tim Holtz Mini Clipboard. What fun! I got a little mixed media practice in, which made me very, very happy. Then, the idea to create a dimensional hot air balloon embellishment popped into my head. I pulled out my G45 Imagine Stamps and 12″ x 12″ Patterns and Solids popped into my head, and the fun factor rose to new heights.

Tim Holtz Altered Mini Clipboard: Laying the Foundation

If you’ve never altered one of these little clipboards before, you really owe it to yourself to do so. They are so much fun to work with. You can find examples of past projects HERE and HERE. I love the fact that the clip is easy to remove from the base. This makes the job of altering the mini clipboard so much easier.

First, I traced the base onto my designer paper. After sponging the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, I adhered the papers to the base. If I had it to do again, I would only line the back side of the base as I ended up covering up most of the paper on the front with my mixed media goodies. I applied Ranger Opaque Crackle Texture paste around the edges, then gently head dried. When the cracks were clearly visible and the paste was dry, I went over the surface with Gathered Twigs and Tarnished Brass Distress Stains. I added some more texture with Seth Apter Dirty Sand Baked Enamel, some die cut gears, and some random stamping.

Graphic 45 Imagine Hot Air Balloon Embellishment Tutorial

I’ve created a little Snapguide tutorial so you can create your own Graphic 45 Hot Air Balloon Embellishment. This was my favorite part of this whole project.

I hope you’ll find lots of ways to use this Hot Air Balloon Embellishment Tutorial. If you wish to add this dimensional embellishment to a card front, don’t adhere the final panel on the right. Instead, secure it with one of Tim’s mini paper clips. That way, you can fold it flat for mailing.

The Flip Side

I hate to let a perfectly good surface go to waste. So I created a little waterfall element on the flip side of my altered clipboard. I used Graphic 45 Regular Kraft Tags and the Regular Tag and Gears Die for this step. The domed edge of the tag creates such a pretty shape that I could not resist using them.

Enclose magnets on the back side of the belly band to make a neat closure for the waterfall. I simply folded the ends of this border strip over Basic Grey small magnets and adhered shut. It works beautifully.

Score a 1/2″ flap on the base of each tag, Die cut the tag liner using the Square Tag and Gears Die. Cut a 1/2″ flap from the base of each liner. Then adhere it below the fold line as seen here. This way the waterfall mechanism will fold easily.

I think a hot air balloon vacation could be quite the adventure, don’ t you?

Create this little folio by scoring a 6 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ scrap of kraft cardstock in half. Round the corners. Add a 3″ x 4″ ephemera card to the front and adhere to the clipboard base.

Place magnets beneath the liner papers and then cover with designer paper and the “B” side of an ephemera card. This hidden journaling spot is a great place to write down memoirs of your trip.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Challenge: Now it’s YOUR turn!

The winner will earn the chance to be a Guest Designer here at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. We are also awarding Top 3 Badges for three further outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team, because we can’t pick just one favorite!

You have until 11:59PM EDT on Tuesday, July 31st to link your project.

I can’t wait to see what you make!

I hope I’ve shared some tips, techniques and ideas that you can use in your own craft adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Graphic 45 Fun Flip Folio for #G45Selfie Challenge

Hello, Friends! All month long, Graphic 45 has been introducing the members of the 2018 team. While I am no longer a G45 Brand Ambassador, it is my honor and delight to stay on as a Special Projects Designer alongside the amazing Annette Green and the marvelous Maria Cole. This Graphic 45 Imagine Fun Flip Folio is being featured on the Graphic 45 blog today, so I get to share it here with all of you. What a happy day!

G45 asked me to create a project that serves as a “self portrait” of my style. You all know how much I love the new Imagine collection. It has grabbed my imagination and inspired me to create loads of fun projects. This 5″ x 7″ trifold folio is filled with everything I love about paper crafting.

Imagine Fun Flip Folio: Tips and Tricks

TIP: Cover Staples Kraft ATC tags with the fabulous new metal dies. Then adhere them to the folio base to create this stylish closure mechanism. The dome shape and metal grommet add instant vintage charm and interest to the design.

The imagine collection is a fussy cutter’s dream come true! I’ve layered up fussy cut butterflies, hot air balloons, the cloud line and these daring sky divers to decorate the cover of the folio.

TIP: When fussy cutting an image that has a lot of fine details, feel free to cut about ⅛” margin outside the the outline. That extra little margin will give those fine details more support.

I love to embellish my creations with ribbon, flowers, and metal charms, too. When choosing my embellishments, I look at the color palette of the papers I’m working with. Then I choose flowers or ribbon that complement it.

TIP: Create your own custom dyed ribbon with Graphic 45 ColorBox Decades Ink. I “smoosh” the ink onto my craft sheet, spritz with water until little beads of color begin to form. Then I put white seam binding ribbon into the inky puddle and soak up the color.

TIP: Metal embellishments are easy to alter. These steampunk charms and the G45 Metal Staples Door Plate and Knob were all tapped with Distress Paint. It really makes them POP and makes for a cohesive design.

Imagine Fun Flip Folio: A Peek Inside

The fun begins the moment you open the cover of this whimsical folio.

TIP: To create a quick and easy pocket, simply score the 3rd page at 2”. Then fold along the score line and adhere the top and bottom edges to the base.

This tall, skinny mini folio fits perfectly in the side pocket. Small folio inserts are a great way to use up smaller pieces of designer paper.

TIP: ATC tags are a quick and easy way to add an interactive element to a project. Cover the back of a laser cut tag with complementary papers to make the letters pop! Then just add a cut out stamp and a fussy cut butterfly and you’ve got a really adorable gift tag.

These little trifold minis fold up to just 3″ x 4″. I really like to use up as many paper scraps as possible so that there’s less to clean up when a project is finished.

Imagine Fun Flip Folio: Ephemera Card Flaps

G45 Ephemera Cards get more beautiful all the time. Here, I’ve used the journaling side of a 4″ x 6″ card to serve as a flap page. Instead of scoring the card, I created a little hinge with folded paper. One side is adhered to the back of the card and the other is adhered to the folio base.

When you lift the flap, the image is upside down. To fix this, I simply adhered another ephemera card right side up!

This waterfall feature has a magnetic closure. I sized each waterfall panel to measure 4.25″ x 6.5″. Then I scored a 1/2″ flap along the top.

Use ephemera cards within the waterfall feature for quick and easy pages.

Imagine Fun Flip Folio: YouTube Video Tour with Tips and Tricks

To help you get a feel for all the moving parts and elements in this fun flip folio, I’ve created a little video tour. Enjoy!

Graphic 45 Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio

Hello, Friends! Has Graphic 45’s new Imagine Collection found its way to your area yet? Ooh la la, how I love these fabulous papers. I was fortunate enough to receive these papers well before the release date. The minute I opened the package, I was smitten. This collection has inspired so many ideas and projects for me. The one I’m sharing today was sent to the Graphic 45 offices to be used in a Facebook “release party.” G45 also shared it with the fine folks at AFCI , and they posted it on their blog earlier this month. (Creativation) . I haven’t been able to share it with you until now. This is one of my all time favorite folio designs and I’m hoping you will be inspired by it, too.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio

Graphic 45’s sumptuous Imagine collection is so deliciously whimsical and steampunky and playful that my mind immediately began to race with ideas. Maybe I could fussy cut some of the fabulous images. Perhaps I should dig into those tantalizing patterns and layer up a card. Or, I could focus on one of the enticing collage images on the cut apart page. At the end of the day, I opted to do all of the above, and worked up this whimsical trifold folio to share with you today. As you can see from this photo, I chose to work with the butterfly motif…and it does make me oh, so very happy!

Don’t you want to live in this house, perched high in the air? Imagine the view you’d have of these hot air balloons! I just fell in love with this image and decided to spotlight it in a fun shaker style frame.

TIP: To cover the adhesive edges of this shaker frame, I cut out two of the same image. One served as the base. I cut the center from the 2nd image and set it aside for use later. This left me with the frame, which I adhered to the shaker element top, neatly hiding the foam adhesive from view.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio: Fussy Cuts and Florals

This handsome Staples Metal Lion’s Head Door Knocker looks perfectly at home on the folio cover. I’ve added a gorgeous cascade of Little Birdie Flowers and a wreath of fussy cut elements to frame the front cover.

TIP: Fussy cut butterflies add great movement and dimension to the cover design. I’ve cut between the top and bottom wings to add more lift. Then I gently bent the top wings upwards to give them a more dimensional look. I adhered them with dimensionals to add height.

This folio measures 5” x 7” with ¾” spines and a ribbon closure. I’ve tucked all kinds of interactive features inside.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio: A Peek Inside

If you love flips and flaps, pockets and tags, and fun surprises then this folio will be your cup of tea!

TIP: Ephemera cards are a quick way to add flaps to a folio. I make a hinge by cutting a 1.5” wide piece of paper slightly shorter than the height of the card. This is folded in half lengthwise to create a hinge with two ¾” wide flaps. I adhere one flap under my ephemera card (matted on kraft cardstock) and the other to the folio base. For a top-loading flap, simply cut the hinge slightly smaller than the width of the ephemera card, and repeat the process.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio: Tips and Tricks

ATC Policy envelopes also make great flaps! Dress them up with a Staples Antique Bronze Clock Key and labels from the Imagine collection. Hold the flaps shut with a custom paper clip embellishment.

These are quick and easy to make: just thread banner flags cut from patterned paper through the paper clip opening and secure with adhesive. Then top with a button, a flower, or as I did here, a gear.

TIP: Make custom covers for the “buttons” on your Policy Envelopes by punching ½” circles from patterned papers.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio: Pockets and Word Tags

The center pocket in this folio houses a trio of G45’s Laser Cut Square Tags. Each tag has a laser cut sentiment down the right hand side.

It’s really quick and easy to dress these tags up with paper scraps and small images from the 12×12 collection.

TIP: Use your G45 Square Tag and Clock Dies to cut brown cardstock to line the back of each tag. Use this area to mount 4″ x 4″ photos. As a bonus, the paper liner really makes the laser cut words POP!

TIP: Create mini folios to top your tag! Score a 5.75” x 4.25 rectangle in half on the long side. Fold to make a folio. Line with patterned papers and adhere to tag front.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio: Creating Borders, Pockets, and Waterfalls

TIP: Turn a wide border strip into a pocket by adhering it in a “U” shape. Then fill it with 3” x 4” mini folios. This gives you a great place to add wallet sized photos or journaling.

TIP: A waterfall feature allows you to load lots of pictures in to a small space. It’s a great addition to any folio. Each individual element in this one measures 3.75” x 5”.

Imagine Castles in the Air Interactive Folio YouTube Video Tour

To help you get a feel for the way all these moving parts come together, I’ve prepared a short YouTube Project Share. Enjoy!

I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Hello, Friends! Welcome to the Frilly and Funkie Letter Perfect Challenge! I’ve created a really fun Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio to share with you today. There’s even a little tutorial and a video tour thrown in for your viewing pleasure. We’ll take a look at everything in just a second, but first, let’s see what Sara Emily, our lovely challenge hostess, has to say about this challenge.

Challenge Theme: Letter Perfect
According to Merriam Webster, ‘letter perfect’ is defined as “correct to the smallest detail”. We’re not asking you to be immaculate or flawless; we just want to see letters or words on your vintage or shabby chic project. They don’t have to be the focus, but be sure we can see them!

Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio on YouTube

It makes sense to start this post with the video tour of this Tag Folio before we look at the details. So here you go…it’s just a short, 11 minute video tour loaded with tips and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. Enjoy!

Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio: The base-ics

This is an 8″ x 10″ folio with a lightweight chipboard base. Because I knew that I would be adding a tag box to the front, the folio itself had to have some heft to it so it wouldn’t tip over. I simply scored the sheet of chipboard in half, creased along the fold and voila! Instant folio base!

You probably notice that this folio is not thick. That’s because most of the components are found in this dimensional tag box on the cover. (There’s fun inside, too….trust me!) Today’s tutorial will show you how to construct the tag box using a Graphic 45 Large Ivory Tag as the base. The tag box, filled with fun tags is a great project all on its own. But it’s even more fun when added to the cover of a folio, dontcha think?

Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio: Details and Flowers

My imagination ran away with me as I created this romantic Steampunk folio. I just kept thinking of more things I could add. Here you see the flowers I made using the G45 Large Tag and Flowers Dies. These are soooo much fun to make. Here are a few helpful flower making tips:

First, die cut your flowers from patterned paper. This gives each flower instant depth and dimension. I used 8″ x 8″ patterns from the “B” side of the papers for this purpose.

Secondly, lightly mist your die cut petals with water before shaping. I’m talking a very light misting…not Niagara Falls! This does two things: first, it softens the paper making it easier to shape the petals. Secondly, it releases the starch from the paper so that when your flowers dry, they will hold that shape.

Thirdly: Use a foam mat and ball stylus to shape the petals. I roll my stylus from the tip of the petals toward the center of the flower to create a realistic shape. Then I place the tip of my stylus in the center of each flower and “stir” it to cup the flowers. You can cup them a little, or a lot…it’s up to you.

Fourth: if you want to add stamens, punch a hold in the center of each petal layer using and awl. A standard craft pick does not make a big enough hole.

Finally: to add depth and dimension, sponge the petal edges with Distress Ink. I used Vintage Photo on these flowers, but most any dye or chalk ink will work. Then to add sparkle, spritz with mica spray or Glimmer Mist.

Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio: Ribbon and Tags

The pinks in this collection can be a little hard to color match. But no worries! You can custom dye your own ribbon with Distress Ink and Seam Binding Ribbon. Here’s how:

First, cut a nice long piece of white or ivory seam binding ribbon…at least a yard. But more is better, so why not do 2 or 3? You can use the extra on your next project!

Now add color. I like to use Distress Ink Refills for really vibrant color. Simply place a drop or two on your craft mat or non-porous surface and then spritz with water. It’s best to add one layer of color at a time, drying in between so you don’t end up with mud. For this ribbon, I used Tattered Rose, Fossilized Amber and Tumbled Glass.

Dry the ribbon gently with a heat tool, scrunching and crumpling it as you dry it.

To add some shadow and contrast, i tapped my Worn Lipstick Distress ink pad very lightly in a random kind of way over the top of my dried ribbon. I love the way it turned out!

Graphic 45 Imagine Steampunk Tag Folio: A Peek Inside

The inside is fairly simple. It was fun and easy to cover the Staples Ivory Tags thanks to the die. Then I just scored a line on the bottom to make a flap and added them to the folio.

How to Turn a Graphic 45 Large Ivory Tag into a Tag Box

Here’s the promised tutorial.

To create the top border, I backed a border strip with waste chipboard. Then I adhered Venise Lace along the bottom edge.

Letter Perfect: Now it’s YOUR turn!

I hope you’re feeling inspired to play along in this Letter Perfect Challenge. To do so, Just create a shabby chic or vintage project that features Letters or Words. Then link up on the Frilly and Funkie Blog before 11:59PM EDT on Tuesday, June 26th.

The team will pick four favorite project entries for this challenge. The top winner will be invited to join us in a Guest Designer spot on the Frilly and Funkie Blog. The next three will receive badges to display proudly on their blogs. And everyone who enters and follows the challenge rules will be eligible to win a $25 shopping spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Imagination Steampunk Card with Handmade Flowers: New Collection!

Hello, G45’ers! It may be the last day of April on the calendar, but it’s the first day of Sneak Peek Week on the Graphic 45 Blog! Today through May 2nd, G45 will be revealing the Spring Release Collections. I’ve had a sneaky peek and I know you are going to be super excited, too. Lucky me! I received a few pages of the new Imagine collection last week, and went to work making samples for the reveal party. This Imagination Steampunk Card uses gorgeous papers and Ephemera Cards along with two of the new G45 Dies. Let’s take a peek, shall we?

The color palette and images in this collection are inspiring! It’s as though A Ladies’ Diary bumped into Steampunk Debutante, and Imagine was the result. This is a softer, more feminine version of steampunk and I found it super fun to work with.

Imagination Steampunk Card: The Clock Focal

I am loving the vintage clock face paired up with this collection. The Square Tag and Clock Dies are fast becoming a “go to” item in my workbasket. This time, I cut the doily frame from a pearlized bronze cardstock. Then I cut the clock face from a soft floral pattern from the collection.

Each layer is raised up with dimensionals to give the clock a strong presence in the design. The center dial is cut from one of the gear corners on the signature page.

And if you love butterflies, you are going to swoon over the gorgeous ones found in this collection. I fussy cut quite a few, layered them up and added them all the way around the perimeter of the clock.

I’m finding lots of good ways to use the lovely little flourish from the Square Tag and Clock Dies, too. These corner accents really help tie everything together as well as anchor the design.

The sentiment panel is made from one of the cut apart panels on the border strip page. I matted this on kraft cardstock. Then I backed it with waste chipboard to add height. Finally, I fussy cut the “Imagination” plaque from a second panel, matted it on dimensionals and matched it up carefully. I love the dimension and simplicity this adds.

Imagination Steampunk Card: The Handmade Flowers

I finally had a chance to play with the G45 Large Tag, ATC Tag and Flowers Metal Dies. Oooh la la! Look at these fun steampunk posies! I cannot get over how beautifully these dies cut through G45’s heavy papers! One pass through and you’re done! I added button centers, some Prills and custom dyed seam binding ribbon.

By the way…did you know you can use G45 Decades Dye Ink Pads to custom color ribbon? Here’s how I did it:

I hope I’ve shared some tips, trick and ideas that you can use in your own paper crafting adventures. I’d love to hear your thoughts and reactions to this gorgeous new G45 collection. Please share with me in the comment section below.